A Different Take
by xxjmm96xx
Summary: Things have been going crazy lately at 15th Division. But just what are the cops we know and love actually thinking about their crazy lives? Each chapter is a different character's take on what has been going on this season so far. Leads up to center around Frank and Noelle's wedding.
1. Andy McNally

Andy was stuck.

A few short months ago, her life had been falling into place. She had been in love and dating Sam. Her job was going well. She had been feeling on top of the world.

Then, Jerry's death had turned them all upside down. It had thrown them for a loop; it had been so unexpected. Andy's heart still hurt just to think about it. She had tried to be there for both Traci as well as Sam, but he hadn't even given her a chance. The next thing she knew she had been left standing in the rain with her heart shattered.

At the time, she felt that all hope was lost. Her heart was broken and it felt irreparable. But then, her mother got her books on "getting that man out of your life" and Nick became her Breakup Buddy and she finally felt that she was okay again…

Until the day she had held that bomb. At first, she had only been focusing on getting that young girl out alive. Next thing she knew, she grasped the bomb tightly in her fist, too scared to move. Her heart had been beating wildly and then Sam had appeared at her side. Just when she thought her heart couldn't take anymore he had said the words she had yearned to hear…_I love you, Andy. _

But it had been too little, too late.

He had cornered her after work, practically begging her to come to the Penny and give him another chance. Oh, she had been so tempted to go, to give in to those deep brown eyes and dimpled grin that she adored so much…

But not too long after, a wonderful opportunity had surfaced. She and Nick were being offered the undercover operation, the one that Andy had been begging Luke to give her. It was such crappy timing.

And so, Andy was faced with a difficult decision.

Sure, it may have seemed that she had agreed just a little too quickly, but it wasn't like that at all. Her mind had gone through all the different possibilities; she was always over thinking everything. But this was a potentially life altering decision to make. She had been gunning for this opportunity since she had heard about it and was really just going to let Sam's admittance stop her from doing what she wanted to do. Would he really have turned down the opportunity if the roles were reversed? She didn't think so. And he probably only said 'I love you' in the heat of the moment.

If she was being honest, she was still aching from the breakup. She could pretend that she was over Sam all she wanted, but her heart and her head knew the truth. She wasn't even close. But the UC operation could be the space that she needed to get her head on straight and really think about what she wanted. Then, if Sam was still willing, she might be willing to give it a try.

So, Andy had taken the job. If this operation was successful, it would give her career a boost and that was one thing she had been looking forward to. She hadn't found out that it was Nick she was going UC with until they were being briefed. They would be posing as a couple.

Andy wasn't stupid; she knew that posing as a couple for any length of time could really affect two people. Living together was a huge step and they would inevitably form bonds that would make eventually readjusting back to normal life difficult. But Andy and Nick had grown closer the past months and they were great friends; she wasn't the least bit worried.

Going undercover required a lot of patience, one trait that Andy had never been good at. So, she had been left with her thoughts and sometimes a lot of free time. When Nick wasn't bugging her to do something, she thought about Sam. Her thoughts always returned to Sam. She knew that she had the Blackstone had given her the option to go back and visit everyone for a weekend, but she knew that if she spent a night with Sam, she wouldn't want to go back and so she had stayed, spending the day with Nick instead.

Andy often wondered if Sam was missing her or what he was doing at a particular time during the day. But thinking of him just made it hurt worse.

It had been such a long time, but as soon as Andy called, needing help while running from the drug lords, Sam had answered, just as he once promised he would. He had come to her rescue and saved her just in time; her own personal superhero.

After a long six months, Andy had returned, more than ready to return back to being a regular cop and possibly rekindling a relationship with Sam. But she had gotten a rude awakening when she walked in on Sam's lips on the new TO; Marlo, she later learned, was her name.

It had been like running full force into a brick wall. For a moment, she hadn't been able to breathe. Sam had managed a cool exterior, but she could tell the situation made him uncomfortable. Andy also noticed that Marlo recognized Andy; meaning Sam had mentioned her.

At the time, Andy didn't have much time to react and causing a scene at the precinct hadn't seemed like such a bright idea. So she bottled up her feelings and followed Blackstone and Nick to give statements.

It wasn't until later that night that Andy allowed her tears to fall. If she was being honest, it wasn't fair what she did to Sam. Leaving him sitting at the Penny, waiting for her to show up. And when she never did, he must have thought things were officially over. But once someone had explained that she was undercover, Andy thought he might be able to understand that it was something she _had_ to do. Andy had held out hope that he would wait for her; isn't that what someone who had professed their love would do? Andy herself had waited. Quite frankly, she didn't really want anyone but Sam. And she thought the same had applied to him, but unfortunately for her, he hadn't wanted to wait.

There was one good thing that came out of Sam's denial; it finally gave Andy the strength she needed to move on, this time for real. She wouldn't be the annoying ex girlfriend that couldn't let go and she wouldn't let it consume her life.

Andy did try to weasel her way back into Sam's heart at one point, but she also recognized when she was beat and she was surprisingly okay with it. She just wished that she and Sam could coexist as better friends. But their dynamic didn't really allow for that.

At first, it had been hard to watch as Sam showed PDA with Marlo that he never did with her, but she accepted it. Things had changed. Andy in turn, threw herself into her work and spending some much needed time with her friends. Things were back on track again, just the way she liked it.

And then came the night of Frank and Noelle's wedding. The night that changed everything again.

She had expected to have a nice night, even teasing Sam earlier that she would save him a dance. It was supposed to be a magical night, full of nothing but love and happiness, drinking and dancing. She had had her dress picked out for months. Instead, she and Nick were stuck waiting for a co-conspirator of a wealthy elderly bus robbery to come down from the large tower he had been working on. She literally had the worst luck.

Andy had thought it was ridiculously sweet when Nick whipped out his phone and asked Dov to put it on speaker phone. She hadn't thought it was weird at all that she and Nick were sitting there listening to the wedding march, although she started to feel a different vibe coming off Nick as he stared at her when she began to cry when Frank and Noelle said their "I do's".

She had remarked that it was so magical and Nick had replied that that was the way he felt about her. At first, she had missed the hint, but when she looked at him, she saw that he was serious.

Andy was shocked. She hadn't expected these feelings from Nick at all. It all made sense now; he and Gail splitting up and his not wanting to talk to her about it. Still, his admission was making her head spin. It was crazy.

Thankfully, she was spared giving him an answer because their suspect was on his way down. But the entire time they were making the arrest, Andy's head was spinning and she was trying to process her thoughts.

She tried to picture herself with Nick. He was a good guy, very sweet and had always been there for her since before they had gone undercover together. He was such a sharp contrast to Sam; he wore his heart on his sleeve whereas Sam hid his deep in his soul. And just like that, Sam was in her mind again.

Although she felt that she had truly moved on, she still woke up sometimes with an ache in her chest, longing for Sam's arms to be around her. While he was dating Marlo, she knew getting with him was out of the question, she still held out that hope that he would show up at her apartment and sweep her off her feet. But that was the stuff that only happened in fairy tales and certainly wouldn't come from Sam Swarek. So, was she really going to wait around for something that might never happen?

But, even if she was willing to give Nick a chance, how could she ever hurt Gail like that? Gail was one of her good friends, her bitchy exterior notwithstanding. She didn't want the wrath of Gail to descend upon her; she knew Gail still harbored feelings for Nick and wasn't willing to let him go.

And so, as previously stated, Andy was stuck.

After the arrest, while sitting on the hood of the squad car, Andy turned to Nick and asked, "What now?"

He spread his hands stating, "It's up to you."

Finally, the cards were in her hands. It was her move. And now, she had no clue what to do.

Andy, forever not knowing what to do in awkward conversations, took a bite out of the apple she had procured and offered it casually to Nick. She chewed thoughtfully.

After the long night, Nick and Andy finally showed up during the middle of the reception. Andy was lucky to have made it at all.

One of the first things she noticed was Sam sitting, alone, at the bar. She recalled that Chloe had mentioned Marlo's trip to Miami; it had been long planned and she was willing to miss her boss' wedding. He looked extremely handsome; it wasn't often that she got to see him all dressed up and she had to admit, he cleaned up nicely.

Before she did anything else, Andy took a deep breath and turned to Nick, who was still hanging by her side. On the ride over, she had made up her mind.

Opening her mouth, she explained that she still needed time. He had followed her gaze to where Sam was sitting and granted her all the time she needed, promising that he wasn't going anywhere. Andy didn't know what she had done to have Nick give her that kind of loyalty, but she was grateful.

After Nick had walked away, Andy found herself alone in a room full of people.

What Andy said to Nick was the truth; she still needed time. She was resolved to stay single for a time, to focus on herself and to just see where the future led her.

She sauntered over to the bar to get a much needed drink.

But she knew one thing for sure.

Her heart would always belong to Sam.


	2. Sam Swarek

Sam was torn.

He wasn't usually one to show his feelings, but there was only so much that he could bottle up and now he wasn't sure what to do.

Sam hadn't realized the feelings that he had for Andy until he thought that he was going to lose her. When he saw that she was tearfully holding that bomb, nothing had felt more right and the words had burst from his lips before he could stop them. _I love you, Andy. _It felt natural to place his hands over hers, so that if she was going, he would be going right beside her.

Once Andy was safe, Sam made sure to catch up with her after work, urging her to give him a second chance, promising that he wouldn't blow it. He could tell that she was hesitant, but he decided to leave it up to fate and walked away, planning on meeting up with her after at the Penny.

Sam wasn't sure how long he had been waiting before he realized that Andy wasn't coming. He remembered thinking that was what it was like to get your heart broken and he didn't like it. When Gail had sat down beside him, he knew that Nick had stood her up as well. They made quite a pair, Sam and Gail.

The next day, Frank had informed 15 that both Collins and McNally were on a UC operation, no one knew for how long. Sam knew how these things worked. He watched Gail's reaction from across the room, but her pale face was impassive.

To Sam, fate had certainly intervened. It was a sort of closure; he had bared his heart and Andy had made her choice. There was no use wallowing on things you couldn't change.

Immediately, Sam focused on his work and in no time he had reached the role of detective. He was good at what he did and he thought he was the best choice to fill Jerry's shoes. He kept Jerry in his mind every time he solved a case.

It took some time for Sam to stop waking up in the middle of the night, reaching to pull Andy closer. The other side of the bed was always empty. But it was mostly his fault; he had driven her away and when he tried to get her back, it had been far too late and he tried to accept that.

After that, it was only a matter of time before Marlo came into his life. As the new TO, she was everything Andy was not. She had a cool exterior and always did her job right. There was nothing messy and unstable about her.

So when he finally entered into a relationship with her, it wasn't complicated. There was no expectation, no drama. She was not Andy. The sex was good, on a good day, even great, but there wasn't that fire that burned through his body like when he made love to Andy.

But, Sam cared about Marlo; he couldn't deny that fact. With time, who knows, he might even grow to love her, but not in the same capacity as the way he had loved Andy. Still loved, if he was being honest. But he tried to bury those feelings as best as he could.

He had been doing a good job and then complications with the UC operation had surfaced. Once he heard Andy's voice on the other end of the phone, he was a goner. His body reacted; his heart ached, wishing to have her by his side. He promised he would rescue her and that is exactly what he did.

The moment that Andy and Nick had lifted open the door, Sam's eyes hadn't left her face. He was speechless; he had no clue what to say to her, but his eyes drank in the sight of her that he had so missed. She was so beautiful, just as he remembered. He was glad Marlo wasn't present because there was no way that she would have missed the way he was looking at Andy at that moment. Sam didn't hug Andy though, he didn't even touch her. His self restraint had improved wonderfully throughout the time she was gone.

Sam had chosen to ride back to the station separately, lost in his thoughts.

Andy was back; she was always popping in and out of his life at the most inopportune time. Still, he was glad she was safe and finally home, where she belonged.

But now, he had a decision to make. He was torn; Andy or Marlo? Either way he chose, someone would get hurt.

Sam had been willing to get back with Andy, but she had made her choice and she obviously didn't want to be with him anymore (although the looks she was giving him earlier that day contradicted that fact). And he was happy with Marlo; she didn't deserve to be hurt that way. He couldn't leave her just because Andy had returned. But he owed it to Marlo to be honest and fair to her. He wasn't sure that his whole heart would ever be hers.

Arriving back at the station, Sam noticed that Andy and Nick had got there before him. They were already surrounded by the clapping and shouting of cops congratulating them on a job well done. Was it just him or were Andy and Nick standing just a little bit too close?

Shaking his head, he bypassed the celebratory circle and made his way to the kitchen to get a much needed cup of coffee. He knew he should have some tea considering he was trying to cut down on his coffee, but he needed it right now.

He turned from the counter as footsteps sounded behind him. He offered a small smile when he saw Marlo make her way in. It was late and she was changed in a nice outfit to go out to the Penny.

She asked him if he was coming, but he declined. And before he knew it, he had pressed his lips to Marlo's accepting ones. At first, she was surprised, but she melted into him. Without knowing it, Sam had made his choice. He was willing to sacrifice his happiness to save Marlo's heart.

By the look on Marlo's face, Sam knew that Andy had appeared behind them. He could barely meet her eyes; the amount of pain there was so great. He wanted to call out to her as she turned to walk away, but Marlo was still in his arms.

Andy only tried one more time to try and get him back, but by that time, he was too invested with Marlo. It wasn't that he didn't want Andy; it was that he wanted her to keep fighting, to prove that she really wanted to be with him. Instead, she simply said she knew when to give up.

The time that passed was uneventful. Sam felt that Marlo was beginning to act off and so he tried his best to keep her happy. He showed more PDA than he would have normally liked at the work place, but her rewarding smile made it seem worth it. Andy's glares made him feel sick.

Finally, the day of Frank and Noelle's wedding arrived. Marlo had spent the morning packing for her trip to Miami. She was stressed and wired, but he kissed her until her fears ebbed and soon she was gone.

Throughout the day, Sam grew weak kneed when Andy promised him a dance and rose to the occasion to be Frank's best man.

Sam noticed when Nick and Andy were both absent from the ceremony. He tried telling himself that it was just because they were late working the case, but still jealously reared its ugly head. He wished Marlo was here, just so that his mind would stop playing scenarios with Andy at the center.

It wasn't until the reception that Nick and Andy made their appearance. Her dress hugged her body in all the right places and he found himself staring from across the room, sipping his drink. She looked over and noticed and he tried to play it cool.

He watched as she turned to Nick, stepping close and talking to him. Sam wondered what she had to say to him. Nick had a puppy dog look on his face, but ended up walking away.

That was when Oliver had popped up beside him, sweaty from dancing with Celery. Oliver had seen his withering stare and urged Sam to not miss another chance.

That was when Andy made her way over to the bar. Oliver took off and Sam downed his drink. He watched her hips sway as she walked by.

He decided to go for it.


	3. Marlo Cruz

_**If you couldn't tell already, I am altering some things a bit to account for some of the things that are going on with the show. Especially with this chapter because we don't know too much with about Marlo other than her bipolar disorder, I added some things that I thought might fit. **_

_**For the record, I don't hate Marlo. I hate her with Sam.**_

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Marlo was feeling unstable.

Not only had she stopped taking her pills but she was uncomfortable leaving Sam alone now that Andy was back.

She didn't fully stop taking her pills. She was just trying to stop taking them as often. She wanted to see if she could handle herself. Since her last therapy session, she had been feeling off and she wanted to be in control. It was ass backwards thinking that not taking the pills would put her in control; in fact, the exact opposite was true. But since she didn't stop taking them completely, she felt like she would be okay.

As her body was adjusting to the lack of medication, she knew her emotions were a bit erratic. Not ridiculously out there, but noticeable. She knew Sam had noticed; he observed things as only a detective could. He had started to treat her differently; he touched her more, he acted sweeter towards her. She couldn't tell if it was only because he felt guilty now that Andy was home or if he was actually concerned.

Sam had told Marlo about Andy and their history when they first started dating. Sam had felt that it was necessary to get it out of the way. Marlo had sensed that she was only being told the abridged version and it didn't take long to hear more of the Sam and Andy relationship around the station.

They had had something deep; a connection that had been felt from the beginning. There had even been bets taken on when they would get together; Oliver Shaw had taken in the most of the money.

But from what she could tell, Sam was no longer with Andy and that was why she even decided to put her heart on the line. It wasn't something she did often. She didn't like to get hurt and so she didn't usually put herself out there. It was easier most of the time to be alone.

Yet, Sam had this alluring personality about him, one that she just couldn't resist for long. She tried to tell herself not to fall so hard, but with this man, it was nearly impossible. It got her thinking that there was no way that Andy was over Sam, but she risked her heart anyway and entered a relationship with Sam.

At first, it was great. It was easy and simple. They didn't talk about their feelings, which she preferred. Her feelings were usually an unidentifiable jumble that she could barely sort through herself. But it was nice to have someone there if she ever needed to talk. She could sense that Sam was a good listener.

Sam wasn't one to wear his heart on his sleeve either. That's why Marlo was so shocked at Sam's reaction to when Andy returned. Marlo would have had to be blind to miss the looks that Sam looked at Andy with.

Still, she didn't worry. She half expected Sam to breakup with her then and there, but he never did. He had a good heart and soon, he was back to not paying Andy any attention. But Marlo kept a wary eye out.

Marlo should have been predisposed to hate Andy, but it was hard. Andy was partly the reason why Marlo felt ostracized at 15 Division. Everyone who had been "Team Sam and Andy" was more than disappointed when Sam chose Marlo. Most of the animosity came from Andy's close knit group of friends and they were easy enough to ignore.

Andy was opposite Marlo in pretty much every way possible. She shared her feelings without being asked and followed her gut rather than protocol. Marlo had to admit that she was attractive and she could see why Sam had been with her. She was a little eccentric at times, but it gave her a certain appeal.

At times, Marlo got down because she felt like she couldn't compete with Andy. Then, she would scold herself for acting like a petty teenager. Besides, it was too late, her heart was already invested and she was going to stay in this.

Sam was treating her wonderfully and everything was fine, or so she kept telling herself.

In part, she was in denial because she could feel Sam starting to distance himself. It was only slightly and if she hadn't been paying attention, she would have missed it. Outwardly, Sam was being the perfect boyfriend, but on a deeper level, Marlo could tell he wasn't as invested. He was slowly but surely drawing deeper within himself, trying to disengage himself with the least pain possible. Marlo kept trying to prepare her heart, but…the heart wants what the heart wants and apparently, she still wanted Sam.

Because of these reasons though, Marlo had held off revealing her secret. Her _bipolar disorder_. She didn't think Sam would leave her once she told him, but she didn't want to give him anymore reason to turn his back and run in the opposite direction. She didn't think it would matter to Sam; he wasn't like that. But it was still a big deal to her and she just wasn't ready to tell him.

She almost said something the morning of Frank and Noelle's wedding.

Marlo had thrown her suitcase on the bed and kept debating on what she should bring with her to Miami.

Although she had had this trip planned for months, she still felt guilty for missing the wedding. Plus, her heart clenched at the thought of leaving Sam here while Andy was around. She might come back and find Andy in his arms.

She cracked a smile as Sam joked that she packed lighter than he did when he traveled.

Marlo opened her mouth to say something. This was her moment; she was going to tell him. But…she chickened out. As soon as Sam looked the other way, she grabbed her pill container and threw it on top of the suitcase before quickly zipping it up; closing up her secret once more.

With a new resolve she decided that if Sam was still around when she got back, that he would be worth the risk of telling him her secret. To her, it seemed like a fool proof plan.

At the same time, she knew she was being ridiculous and that she should just tell him, but that wasn't happening now. She was going to be late.

With a parting kiss from Sam, Marlo had made her way out the door, finding a cab already waiting for her. She had looked up at the window and Sam waved with a smirk. Good old Sam, always looking out for her. She felt guilty again for not trusting him.

Her thoughts wandered as she stared out the cab window and again while she sat on the plane.

Marlo tried pushing down her anxiety as the plane took off. Sam would be faithful. She had nothing to worry about.

Miami bound; Marlo told herself she was going to enjoy this damn trip.


	4. Gail Peck

Gail was flabbergasted, completely and utterly flabbergasted.

When Nick first left to go undercover, her heart had been crushed, but it wasn't like he hadn't hurt her before. Before, they had been engaged and things hadn't ended pretty either. Now, they had been willing to try again and he just up and left. How could he do that, without even talking to her about it first?

While she was sitting next to Sam at the Penny, looking melancholy, the back of her mind told her that Nick probably didn't have any notice that he was being chosen. And the fact that he thought that she was running away to France probably didn't help matters. It didn't make her feel any better. She had been scared that she was going to lose her badge. The least he could have done was show some compassion. Instead, he had disappeared, right when she needed him most.

After being with Nick for so long, Gail had to adjust to being alone again. Frankly, she didn't like it. Nick had brought out the good side that had been buried deep inside her and know that he was gone, any compassion that had surfaced in his presence dissipated. Back was the Bitch.

It was easier to put up her bitchy front. She didn't look like the hurt little girl she felt like inside and people stayed out of her way. She always knew she was better off alone.

Finding out that Andy was the one going undercover with Nick was equally heart wrenching as it was reassuring. Andy was one of her few very close friends. Even though Gail was a jerk to her half the time, she knew Andy had her back and Gail would always return the favor. They had gone through the academy together and had been rookies together. Gail found it hard to believe that Andy would throw away their friendship over Nick.

Still, she was jealous; something she hated to admit. Gail Peck didn't get _jealous._

When Nick eventually returned, Gail had treated him to the punch in the face that he so deserved before grabbing him in a crushing hug. It felt right to have him back in her arms.

But as the days passed, Gail sensed that Nick wasn't quite right. He was acting strange, more distant, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Instead, she chalked it up to his adjusting back to normal life.

However, the closer she watched Nick's interactions with Andy, the more she sensed that there was more than met the eye.

This discovery led her to Jacob Blackstone who soon let her know that Nick had declined his offer to come back home one weekend because he wanted to spend the day with Andy. This sent her anger skyrocketing through the roof. Later that day, before she knew what she was doing, Gail had gone home with Blackstone.

She didn't have a good reason. The sex had been terrible and she had left in the middle of the night, not bothering to stick around until morning. She had yet to hear from him again for which she was grateful. Her only excuse was that she wanted Nick to hurt as much as he had hurt her.

If it hadn't been enough of a blow, Nick only found out about her cheating on him through her pathetic interview with Perik. She had found out where Grace was being held, but at the cost of Nick. Later that same evening, he had admitted to having feelings for Andy and they had ended, as simple as that.

Gail and Nick were no more.

If they thought that Gail had been a bitch before, they hadn't seen anything yet. No one was spared her wrath.

Oddly enough, though Gail was hurt, she knew that she had brought this on herself. She always managed to screw up anything good that was going on in her life simply because she was self destructive. She also knew that even if she hadn't cheated on Nick, it was only a matter of time before he left her for Andy anyway.

Gail knew she couldn't compete with _perfect Andy._ She tried not to have any hard feelings towards Andy, but it was difficult. She caught herself snapping at Andy for no reason even though it was obvious Andy was oblivious to Nick's feelings towards her. Regretfully, she tried to curb her ever growing attitude.

But she did still have strong feelings for Nick…or so she thought. Everything changed at Frank and Noelle's wedding.

Gail didn't realize how alone she really was until she was talking with the elderly couple who always bickered, but were secretly great friends. The older woman had pointed out that Gail needed to stop being so cynical which had prompted her to call Holly, the pathologist, to be her plus one to the wedding because there was no way in hell that she was going to that thing alone.

Thankfully, Holly agreed. Gail wondered why she had grown to like Holly so much considering she was kind of dorky, in her opinion. Still, there was something about her. It made her want to know more.

Gail had gone into the wedding, immediately met with happy people dancing, laughing and drinking. The drinking she could handle, but the _happy_ made her want to vomit. She gave a cursory glance around but didn't see Holly anywhere. Spying a nearby coat closet, she hastily ducked in.

To her amusement, she saw Holly sitting there in black and white, looking like one of the servers. Holly explained that she had been taking coats because the coat girl hadn't shown up but that she didn't mind because she had made twenty bucks. After some hassling, Gail found herself giving her another seven.

Being with Holly set her mind at ease and before she knew it, they were slumped on the floor of the closet with other people's coats on, shoulder to shoulder, each with a hefty bottle of champagne in their hands. The thick fur coat that she wore tickled her cheek.

Gail was curious and began asking Holly about what it was like to be a lesbian. To Gail, the fact that Holly preferred women to men made no difference. She was a great person to be around and had the capacity to deal with Gail's rotten attitude and counter it with one that was equally as cynical.

Being with Holly felt _easy, _almost more so than being with Nick, or any guy for that matter, ever was. Women just understood each other and knew what to say and what not to say. Gail found herself increasingly curious about being with a woman, although she couldn't explain why. It was probably just the alcohol talking; she was pretty drunk. But that was the only way to get through a wedding. She raised the bottle to her lips again.

Next thing she knew, Holly was leaning towards her and her lips connected with her own. Gail was surprised at how soft they were; there was no prickly stubble poking her in the face. In a flash, it was over but Gail was left breathless and…wanting more?

By that time, Holly was already up on her feet, claiming that she needed to go dance. She disappeared after a shrill "plus one forever!"

Gail remained on the floor, too stunned to get up. She didn't even know what to do. She hadn't seen the kiss coming and she didn't know whether to be pissed or what. All she knew was that the kiss, while fleeting, wasn't unpleasant, though she hated to admit it. Never had she ever pictured herself being with a woman before. But she had needed a change of pace and she had certainly gotten one, although she was still hurt seeing Nick and Andy arrive at the wedding together.

But as she managed to get up and get a cab home and crawl into bed, Holly was still on her brain; her lips still tingling.

Gail found herself wondering what being with a girl was really like. And she wanted Holly to show her.


	5. Nick Collins

_**So, I know I was kind of crazy for starting this when I already have two other fics that I am updating, but this one was supposed to be quick and easy and it wouldn't get out of my head, so I had to get it out there. But I have no clue if you guys are enjoying it! If you have any suggestions or if you think I should even continue, please, let me know with a comment or PM. I value your input.**_

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Nick was lovesick.

Quite frankly, his heart had taken a beating lately.

When Gail thought she was going to lose her badge, she was scared; he knew that. But when she said that she was leaving for France at the first opportunity, it felt like a slap in the face. He had felt like he wasn't good enough. He felt like that a lot with Gail, always had.

So when the undercover job had a spot open for him, he took it without really thinking. If Gail was going to be gone, then what was the point? Plus, it was a good step in his career; he wouldn't be known as the 'new guy' anymore.

When he found out that Andy was going to be his partner, posing as his girlfriend even, he was secretly thrilled. He an Andy had gotten closer and had become good friends during his breakup with Sam. He was always there to make her smile; she had a beautiful smile.

Sure, they had spent a lot of time together being paired up for patrol, but it wasn't until they were living under the same roof for six months that he realized his feelings for Andy weren't just for 'friends' anymore. Living with someone could do that to people. But if he had to be honest, these feelings had been lying dormant for a while; he just wouldn't let them surface until now.

He wondered if Andy could tell that sometimes he imagined what it would be like if they were actually together. Sometimes, he had to remind himself that they were just _posing_ as a couple. It felt too real, too plausible.

Nick wasn't sure if Andy reciprocated his feelings; while she was an open book sometimes he just couldn't read her. He knew that she wasn't entirely over Sam, no matter how much he tried to help. Plus, he wasn't sure how things actually ended with Gail. For these reasons, he never told Andy how he felt.

When they returned from UC (rescued by Sam Swarek, no less), Nick was surprised that he and Andy were able to stay so close and he picked up his relationship with Gail right where they left off. To him, it had been weird not seeing Andy walking around his apartment, but it had taken some getting used to. And the time that he made Gail Andy's favorite omelet…that had been a disaster. Gail wasn't stupid; she sensed that something was off. Nick knew that he couldn't keep this a secret much longer.

Then he 'accidentally' found out about Gail sleeping with another man. Sure, he had been pissed, but later, he used it as an excuse to call things off. It was a cowardly thing to do, but he did it anyway. But Gail saw right through him, as she always had, and called him out on his growing feelings for Andy.

Although he had feelings for Andy, Nick missed Gail. People always asked him how he could deal with dating a Peck, but they were good for each other and he had often seen a different side of Gail; like when she wanted to spread the ashes of a stranger over the water. She was sensitive under that cool…okay, rock solid, exterior.

Still, sometimes Nick found himself wondering what it would be like if he _had_ married Gail so long ago. Would they even still be together? Would it have changed his feelings for Andy? None of it mattered now; he had blown any chance of getting back with Gail right out of the water. Time to move on.

Fast forward to Frank and Noelle's wedding. If only he could have kept his mouth shut.

Sitting in the squad car with Andy, waiting for their perp…there was honestly no other place that he wanted to be at that moment, and he even said that to Andy. But she was oblivious sometimes and missed the cue. Seeing that she was upset, he quickly called Dov so that he could put the ceremony on speaker. He loved that she was so open enough to cry at the magical words and before he could stop himself, he had blurted out his feelings for her.

The words had hung in the car, neither of them knowing what to say. It had been a little awkward to say the least, and the shocked look on Andy's face wasn't helping his ego any.

Like the cops they were, they caught the bad guy and still had enough time to make it to the reception. Nick had offered her a ride, vaguely surprised when she accepted.

They had arrived together and Andy had looked stunning. Nick couldn't help but feel satisfied when he saw Sam's solemn face as he watched Andy with him. Sam was no good for Andy; he couldn't treat her right and always ended up hurting her. She needed someone more stable, who would be there for her. Someone like…him.

But he had left the ball in her court and when she turned to him at the wedding, he almost expected when she said she needed time. Like the good man he was, he promised he would give her that and that he would always be there, but he felt punched in the gut.

Now, he was at a wedding alone, watching as Andy made her way to the bar where Sam was sitting, under the pretense of getting a drink. Soon enough, they were talking and even making their way to the dance floor to dance. _Time_ my ass. Andy knew what she wanted he wasn't it, he realized, his heart sinking.

He snagged a champagne glass from a passing server and downed it quickly. That sissy stuff wasn't going to cut it tonight. He needed to get drunk; he needed some hard liquor.

As he made his way to the bar, he had passed by the coat closet. He did a double take when he saw Gail sitting in there with a huge fur coat that couldn't have been hers around her shoulder. He almost went to her when he realized that she wasn't alone.

Was that the pathologist who had worked on Robby's case? Her name began with an H…Hanna, Helen…Holly! That was it. Why was Gail with her? And why was she actually _smiling_?

Wide eyed, he couldn't tear his eyes away as he watched Holly lean in and place a kiss on Gail's lips. It wasn't just a friendly kiss. It was short and sweet, but hot and heavy and he saw Gail's face flush from where he was standing. He used to be able to do that to her.

When Holly got up, Nick didn't stick around. He turned and dashed to the bar. From there, he watched as Holly came out of the closet first, holding a whole bottle of champagne and made her way to the dance floor. Gail followed not too long after, looking stunned and made her way out the exit, presumably getting a cab home.

Nick shook his head. What kind of trouble was Gail getting into now?

Nick sat at the bar, getting absolutely drunk, trying to make the way his life was going not seem so pathetic.


	6. Chris Diaz

Chris was feeling lonely.

From the moment that Denise showed up with a kid in a carriage, Chris knew his life was going to change.

To find out that he was a father was incredible and he couldn't ask for a better kid. Christian was great. It wasn't his fault that he and his mother didn't get along and Chris wanted to make sure that Christian knew that.

But it was still a major shock.

Next thing he knew he was getting lectures from Oliver and getting woken up by the sounds of crying and whining almost every night. Not to mention Denise kept bitching at him daily.

Denise didn't feel safe this close in the city. She wanted to move and Chris, always the good guy, wanted to try and make his dysfunctional family work and keep them safe. So, in order to stay sane he had sent out a request for a transfer.

Almost immediately, he had regretted it and that's why he had been afraid of opening the letter when it arrived. He put it off for as long as possible.

When his friends first found out, they had been sad, though they tried to put up a good front. They had stuck together and they couldn't imagine Chris actually leaving.

Dov was the most upset. At first, he had been so furious when Chris brought up that he was applying for a transfer that Dov stopped talking to him for a week until Chris pointed out that if he ended up leaving, they shouldn't waste the time they had left. They fought like an old married couple sometimes.

Once Chris opened the letter and found out he had been granted the transfer to Timmons, he told everyone, but no one found it a surprise. Chris was literally the poster child of a perfect cop and anyone would be lucky to have him. They had celebrated with him, but with a melancholy tone. Chris made sure to say that he wasn't sure if he was going to accept.

But once he had tried talking to Denise about it, she had basically assumed he was accepting and he when he tried to explain that he wanted to stay, she had gotten pissed and locked herself in the bedroom.

Frustrated, the next day, Chris had gone to Frank and told him he had made his decision. He was transferring. Chris also asked that Best wouldn't tell anyone until after he was gone. He didn't want any fanfare and he couldn't bear the thought of hurting his friends. He hated goodbyes.

So, he served his last shift with Oliver and had his stuff all packed up and in the truck before Dov got home. He exited their lives smoothly.

Chris often wondered how Dov had reacted when he came home to empty house. It wasn't fair of Chris to leave the way he did; he should have said something to his best friend. But Dov was tough; he would be fine.

Chris had gotten to work immediately after settling Denise and Christian in the new apartment they found. It was on the small side, but it was all they could afford. To Chris, it was weird knowing that he wouldn't hear Dov snoring loudly from the next room. But it was all about adjusting.

The people at Timmons were great. They had heard nothing but good things about Chris and accepted him into the fold with ease. But still, Chris felt like an outsider. These weren't _his _friends, the ones that he had felt so comfortable around. But they were friendly enough and Chris didn't mind having a drink with them after work when Denise 'allowed' him too.

Chris thought it would have gotten better with Denise once they moved, but that wasn't the case. He had come to remember why he and Denise hadn't worked out in the first place. They were just two completely different people. Chris wanted to be the good guy, but he was going crazy trying to put up with Denise. God, he loved Christian and wanted to give him a family, but more and more, Chris was yearning to go back to 15 Division. That was where he felt like he belonged.

Chris had to admit, he had been kind of hurt when none of his friends had called. They were probably still pissed at the way he had left. And he didn't blame them. He regretted the way he had handled things now more than ever. He didn't call either, though he had picked up the phone a couple of times to call Dov's familiar number. Instead, he was planning a visit in just a couple of weeks.

He was sad that he couldn't make it back in time for Frank and Noelle's wedding; it was happening that night. He hadn't been able to take the weekend off and it had ended up being a crazy shift. But he decided that he would take Christian along with him to go see how everyone was doing. He thought it might be a nice surprise. Bringing it up to Denise though, was a whole different ballgame that he wasn't ready to tackle yet. She would put up a fight, but Chris had made up his mind and he was taking that trip.

Late after shift, as Chris was settling on the couch (he had taken to sleeping there instead of in the bed with Denise), he tried picturing how the wedding was going. They were probably at the reception by now. He was sure that Noelle had looked beautiful, Frank handsome. They both were probably so happy. Chris hoped that they would last for the rest of their lives. They deserved it.

Just as he had closed his eyes to sleep, Christian began to fuss from his room down the hall. Chris waited a moment before noticing that Denise wasn't going to get up. He hoisted himself off the couch and began the trek down the hallway.

He would take that trip back to 15…and he just might not come back.

* * *

_**I really like Chris and was sad to see him go. Hopefully after the next episode, he will stick around? **_

_**Dov's chapter is up next! **_


End file.
